Safety medicine bottle and cap



Nov- 3, 1964 A. SCHEURMAN SAFETY MEDICINE BOTTLE AND CAP INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,155,259 1 SAFETY MEDICINE BOTTLE AND CAPAhbie'Scheurman, 38 Heath St. E., Toronto, Gntario, Canada Filed Dec.26, 1963, Ser. No. 333,536 4 Claims. (Cl. 215-9) This invention relatesgenerally to safety devices and, more particularly to an improved designof safety medicine or drug bottle, the closure cap of which isexceptionally difiicult for a young child to remove either by intent oraccident.

It is well known that certain medicines, drugs and the like, althoughhighly dangerous to young children, must, of necessity, be stored in aglass bottle with removable cap. Further, many such drugs intended forfamily or individual use are kept in medicine chests Within the home.

The normal practice regarding the safe storage of such drugs is to placethem in a hidden or, at least, relatively inaccessible location, wellremoved from the reach of children, and while these precautions serve inthe main to prevent accidents, some of which prove fatal, accidentsstill occur due to babies and young children finding medicine bottlesand swallowing the contents. This hazard has been aggravated further bythe many drugs currently produced in capsule form, the bright coloursthereof suggesting to very young children that they are candies.

To minimize this hazard, many systems of safety closures, as applied tomedicine and drug bottles, have been proposed, the majority of whichtake the form of a screwon sealing cap which although simple for adultsto re move, is diflicult, for a child to remove.

While these prior devices achieve many of their intended objects, theirstructure is often such as to increase the production costs of thebottle considerably, thus makingtheir manufacture uneconomical.

Wishing to improve on such existing devices, it is, therefore a primeobject of my invention to provide a safety medicine bottle and cap,referred to hereinafter by the abbreviated form of safety bottle which,although simple for use by adults, is of such a character as to beextremely difficult to be inadvertently opened by a young child.

It is anotherimportant object of the instant invention to provide asafety bottle which may be manufactured in "substantially the samemanner as standard medicine bottles in current use.

' Still afu'rther object of this invention resides in the provision of asafety bottle of the character heretofore described which is relativelyinexpensive to manufacture yet highly efficient in use.

The above and various other pertinent objects and features of myinvention will become more readily apparent from the following detaileddescriptions of parts applicable thereto and when taken in conjunctionwith the annexed drawings wherein like characters of reference designatelike parts in the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a safety bottle embodying the inventionand shown with the cap removed.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the sealing cap used with my invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the sealing cap as illustratedin FIG. 1, taken on the line 33.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the bottle neck, showing oneof the locking recesses therein.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a safety bottle embodying the instant inventionand designated generally by the arrow includes a body 11, a neck portion12 and a sealing cap 13. Body 11 is of conventional structure and may be3,155,259 PatentedNov. 3, 1964 ice regarded as indicative of anystandard design of bottle as used to hold drugs or the like.

Body 11 and neck portion 12 are formed integrally and are joined by awaisted or reduced section 14.

A vertically disposed, longitudinal slot 15 of V configuration isadapted to run the complete length of neck portion 12, and a similalydisposed slot 16, formed diametrically opposite slot 15, likewise runsthe complete length of neck portion 12, slot 16 being of rectangularsection and both slots 15 and 16 being formed within the outer periperalsurface of neck portion 12.

A locking recess 17 consisting of a V shaped notch 17a is formed on thelower outer edge of neck portion 12 at a location substantially mid-waybetween slot 15 and slot 16, recess 17 having a right angularly disposedchannel 17b formed therewith, channel 17b running parallel with thelower edge of neck portion 12 and away from slot 15.

Referring now to FIG. 4, a further locking recess 18 consisting of arectangular notch 18a is formed diametrically opposite notch 17 on thelower outer edge of neck portion 12, notch 18 being locatedsubstantially mid-way between slot 15 and slot 16, recess 18 having aright angularly disposed channel 18b formed therewith, channel 1811running parallel with the lower edge of neck portion 12 and away fromslot 16.

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3; cap 13 which is of conventionalconfiguration, having a circular top wall 130, a cylindrical body wall131) and a lower open end 13c is of such a diameter as to permit itsbeing slidably received by neck portion 12 of safety bottle 10, thedepth of body wall 13b being somewhat greater than the depth of neckportion 12. r

Cap 13 has, formed within the peripheral edge of lower open end 13c, twoinwardly projecting tabs, a first of which comprises a V tab 19 and asecond of which com prises a rectangular tab 20, V tab 19 andrectangular tab 20 being rigidly located in diametrically opposed relationship to each other. Tab 19 is of such a configuration as to permitits being received within slot 15 and, likewise, tab 20 is adapted to bereceived by slot 16, tabs 19 and 20 being slidably operable in avertical manner within their respective slots.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2 and 3, a spring 21 is rotatablyafiixed to the underside of circular top wall 13a of cap 13 byconventional rivet means 22 or the like, spring 21, which may be a leafspring, extending across cap 13 and internally thereof, the terinal endsof the said spring depending away from wall 13a and defining gapsbetween spring 21 and the inner peripheral face of body wall 13b.

In operation, cap 13 is located about neck portion 12 of safety bottle10 in such a manner as to permit tabs 19 and 20 to be received by theirrespective slots 15 and 16, Whereafter cap 13 is pressed downwardlyuntil the ter minal ends of leaf spring 21 contact the upper rim of neckportion 12. By further downward pressure against leaf spring 21, tabs 19and 20 will pass beyond the confines of slots 15 and 16 and onto thereduced section 14 of bottle 10.

By twisting cap 13 anti-clockwise in the direction of arrow A tabs 19and 20 will travel around reduced sec tion 14 in sliding frictionalcontact with the lower edge of neck 12 until they become aligned withlocking recesses 17 and 18. Upon alignment occurring, tab 19 will moveupwardly into its accommodating recess 17, notch 17a thereof beingadapted to receive tab 19 therein. Concurrently tab 20 will moveupwardly into recess 18, notch 18a thereof being adapted to receive tab20 therein. An anti-clockwise movement of cap 13 in the direction ofarrow A is then made, tabs 19 and 20 moving into their respectivechannels 17b and 18b of recesses 17 and 18 V and being securely retainedtherewithin by the pressure of spring 21.

Thus it will be seen that four distinct actions are required to removesealing cap 13, namely:

(1) A clockwise twist in direction of arrow B.

(2) A downward pressure.

(3) A clockwise twist.

(4) A lifting action.

Although such a series of actions may be quickly and easily performed byan adult it is highly unlikely that a baby or very young child wouldmanage so to do, the removing actions being contrary to those norm-allyused in unscrewing a cap.

The cap of my safety botle may be manufactured in a suitable plastic ormetal material, the tabs thereon either being moulded integrally orpress formed.

The general design of the individual parts of the invention as describedabove may be varied according to the requirements of manufacture andproduction while still remaining withinthe spirit and principle of theinvention without prejudicing the novelty thereof. 7

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Ina safety medicine bottle, a neck portion, said neck portion beingjoined to the body of said bottle by a re duced section; a first slotformed vertically within the outer peripheral face of said neck portion;a second slot formed vertically within the outer peripheral face of saidneck portion, said first and said second slots being locatedsubstantially in diametrical opposition to each other; said first slothaving a different cross section from said second slot; a sealing cap,said sealing cap being slidably looatable upon said neck portion; saidcap having a first inwardly disposed tab formed on its lower edge and asecond inwardly disposed tab formed on its lower edge, said first andsaid second tabs having cross-sections to fit said first and secondslots and being located substantially in diametrical opposition to eachother; said sealing cap being slightly deeper than said neck portion ofsaid botfie; re silient means located within said sealing cap, saidresilient means biasing said cap away from said neck portion upon saidcap being pushed down about said neck portion; said first and saidsecond tabs being slidably operable within said first and said secondslots repectively; said first and said second tabs being disposedadjacent said reduced section upon said cap being depressed to its fullextent upon said neck portion; and locking means for the securing ofsaid cap about said neck portion of said safety medicine,

saidlocking means including a first recess and a second recess, saidfirst recess being formed on the lower outer edge of said neck portionat a location substantially midway between said first and said secondslots, said second recess being formed also on the lower outer edge ofsaid eck portion and substantially diametrically opposite said firstrecess; said first recess comprising a notch adapted to accommodate saidfirst tab and having a perpendicularly disposed short channel formedtherewith, said channel running parallel to said lower edge of said neckportion and being capable of receiving therein said first tab; saidsecond recess comprising a notch adapted to accommodate said second taband having a perpendicularly disposed short channel formed therewith,said channel running parallel to said lower edge of said neck portionand being capable of receiving therein said second tab; and said sealingcap being secured about said neck of said bottle by a first, downwardmovement, a second, anti-clockwise movement, a third upward movement anda fourth, anticlockwise movement.

2. In a safety medicine bottle as defined in claim 1, said firstvertical slot being of V configuration and said second vertical slotbeing of rectangular configuration; said first of said tabs being of Vconfiguration and said second of said tabs being of rectangularconfiguration; and said tabs and slots acting as guide means for thelocation of said sealing cap about said neck portion of said safetymedicine bottle.

3. In a safety medicine botle as defined in claim 1, said resilientmeans including a spring, said spring being located immediatelysubjacent the upper wall of said sealing cap and pivotally attachedcentrally thereto, the terminal ends of said spring being so disposed asto abut against the upper rim of said neck portion upon said cap beingbiased downwardly thereabout.

4. In a safety medicine bottle as defined in claim 1, said resilientmeans including a spring, said spring being located immediatelysubjacent the upper wall of said sealing cap and pivotally attachedcentrally thereto, the terminal ends of said spring being so disposed asto abut against the upper rim of said neck portion upon said cap beingbiased downwardly thereabout; said spring being a leaf spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNichols Jan. 8, 1963

1. IN A SAFETY MEDICINE BOTTLE, A NECK PORTION, SAID NECK PORTION BEINGJOINED TO THE BODY OF SAID BOTTLE BY A REDUCED SECTION; A FIRST SLOTFORMED VERTICALLY WITHIN THE OUTER PERIPHERAL FACE OF SAID NECK PORTION;A SECOND SLOT FORMED VERTICALLY WITHIN THE OUTER PERIPHERAL FACE OF SAIDNECK PORTION, SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND SLOTS BEING LOCATEDSUBSTANTIALLY IN DIAMETRICAL OPPOSITION TO EACH OTHER; SAID FIRST SLOTHAVING A DIFFERENT CROSS SECTION FROM SAID SECOND SLOT; A SEALING CAP,SAID SEALING CAP BEING SLIDABLY LOCATABLE UPON SAID NECK PORTION; SAIDCAP HAVING A FIRST INWARDLY DISPOSED TAB FORMED ON ITS LOWER EDGE AND ASECOND INWARDLY DISPOSED TAB FORMED ON ITS LOWER EDGE, SAID FIRST ANDSAID SECOND TABS HAVING CROSS-SECTIONS TO FIT SAID FIRST AND SECONDSLOTS AND BEING LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY IN DIAMETRICAL OPPOSITION TO EACHOTHER; SAID SEALING CAP BEING SLIGHTLY DEEPER THAN SAID NECK PORTION OFSAID BOTTLE; RESILIENT MEANS LOCATED WITHIN SAID SEALING CAP, SAIDRESILIENT MEANS BIASING SAID CAP AWAY FROM SAID NECK PORTION UPON SAIDCAP BEING PUSHED DOWN ABOUT SAID NECK PORTION; SAID FIRST AND SAIDSECOND TABS BEING SLIDABLY OPERABLE WITHIN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECONDSLOTS REPECTIVELY; SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND TABS BEING DISPOSEDADJACENT SAID REDUCED SECTION UPON SAID CAP BEING DEPRESSED TO ITS FULLEXTENT UPON SAID NECK PORTION; AND LOCKING MEANS FOR THE SECURING OFSAID CAP ABOUT SAID NECK PORTION OF SAID SAFETY MEDICINE, SAID LOCKINGMEANS INCLUDING A FIRST RECESS AND A SECOND RECESS, SAID FIRST RECESSBEING FORMED ON THE LOWER OUTER EDGE OF SAID NECK PORTION AT A LOCATIONSUBSTANTIALLY MIDWAY BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND SLOTS, SAIDSECOND RECESS BEING FORMED ALSO ON THE LOWER OUTER EDGE OF SAID